公开(公告)号：US20250130037A1

公开(公告)日：2025-04-24

申请号：US18970907

申请日：2024-12-06

Applicant: Nikon Corporation

Inventor： Eric Peter Goodwin ,  Heather Lynn Durko ,  Daniel Gene Smith ,  Johnathan Agustin Marquez ,  Michael Birk Binnard ,  Patrick Shih Chang ,  Matthew Parker-McCormick Bjork ,  Paul Derek Coon ,  Brett William Herr ,  Motofusa Ishikawa

IPC: G01B11/25 ,  B22F10/80 ,  B22F12/90 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/00

Abstract: 3D metrology techniques are disclosed for determining a changing topography of a substrate processed in an additive manufacturing system. Techniques include fringe scanning, simultaneous fringe projections, interferometry, and x-ray imaging. The techniques can be applied to 3D printing systems to enable rapid topographical measurements of a 3D printer powder bed, or other rapidly moving, nearly continuous surface to be tested. The techniques act in parallel to the system being measured to provide information about system operation and the topography of the product being processed. A tool is provided for achieving higher precision, increasing throughput, and reducing the cost of operation through early detection and diagnosis of operating problems and printing defects. These techniques work well with any powder bed 3D printing system, providing real-time metrology of the powder bed, the most recently printed layer, or both without reducing throughput.

公开(公告)号：US20240131595A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-25

申请号：US17624191

申请日：2020-06-30

Applicant: Nikon Corporation

Inventor： Alton Hugh Phillips ,  Joseph P. Rossi ,  Johnathan Agustin Marquez ,  Yoon Jung Jeong ,  Lexian Guo ,  Patrick Shih Chang ,  Eric Peter Goodwin ,  Michael Birk Binnard ,  Brett William Herr ,  Matthew Parker-McCormick Bjork ,  Paul Derek Coon ,  Motofusa Ishikawa

IPC: B22F12/57 ,  B22F10/30 ,  B28B17/00 ,  B29C64/321 ,  B29C64/393 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/02

CPC classification number: B22F12/57 ,  B22F10/30 ,  B28B17/0081 ,  B29C64/321 ,  B29C64/393 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  B22F10/28

Abstract: A processing machine (10) for building an object (11) from powder (12) includes a build platform (26A); a powder supply assembly (18) that deposits the powder (12) onto the build platform (26A) to form a powder layer (13); and an energy system (22) that directs an energy beam (22D) at a portion of the powder (12) on the build platform (26A) to form a portion of the object (11). The powder supply assembly (18) can include (i) a powder container (640A) that retains the powder (12); (ii) a supply outlet (639) positioned over the build platform (26A); and (ii) a flow control assembly (642) that selectively controls the flow of the powder (12) from the supply outlet (639).

公开(公告)号：US20220065617A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-03

申请号：US17595137

申请日：2020-05-08

Applicant: Nikon Corporation

Inventor： Eric Peter Goodwin ,  Goldie Goldstein

IPC: G01B9/02 ,  G01B11/16

Abstract: Surface changes are estimated using multiple speckle interferograms acquired using beams incident at different angles. Beam irradiation conditions can be changed to increase signal to noise ratio with averaging, such as weighted averaging. Irradiation conditions can be varied with a tilt plate, a wedge, or by changing beam wavelengths.

公开(公告)号：US11099007B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-24

申请号：US16675477

申请日：2019-11-06

Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION

Inventor： Eric Peter Goodwin

IPC: G01M11/02 ,  G01B11/24 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01M11/00 ,  G01J9/02

Abstract: System and method for monitoring of performance of a mirror array of a digital scanner with a use of light, illuminating the mirror array at grazing (off-axis) incidence, and an optical imaging system that includes a lateral shearing interferometer (operated in either static or a phase-shifting condition) during and without interrupting the process of exposure of the workpiece with the digital scanner, to either simply identify problematic pixels for further troubleshooting or measure the exact magnitude of the deformation of a mirror element of the mirror array.

公开(公告)号：US20190234729A1

公开(公告)日：2019-08-01

申请号：US16379512

申请日：2019-04-09

Applicant: Nikon Corporation

Inventor： Eric Peter Goodwin

IPC: G01B11/24 ,  G01B9/02

CPC classification number: G01B11/2441 ,  G01B9/02032 ,  G01B9/02049 ,  G01B9/02085 ,  G01B9/0209 ,  G01B2290/50

Abstract: System and method for profiling of a surface with lateral scanning interferometer the optical axis of which is perpendicular to the surface. In-plane scanning of the surface is carried out with increments that correspond to integer number of pixels of an employed optical detector. Determination of height profile of a region-of-interest that is incomparably larger than a FOV of the interferometer objective is performed in time reduced by at least an order of magnitude as compared to time required for the same determination by a vertical scanning interferometer.

公开(公告)号：US10302419B2

公开(公告)日：2019-05-28

申请号：US15632849

申请日：2017-06-26

Applicant: Nikon Corporation

Inventor： Eric Peter Goodwin

IPC: G01B11/24 ,  G01B9/02

Abstract: System and method for profiling of a surface with lateral scanning interferometer the optical axis of which is perpendicular to the surface. In-plane scanning of the surface is carried out with increments that correspond to integer number of pixels of an employed optical detector. Determination of height profile of a region-of-interest that is incomparably larger than a FOV of the interferometer objective is performed in time reduced by at least an order of magnitude as compared to time required for the same determination by a vertical scanning interferometer.

公开(公告)号：US20180061627A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-01

申请号：US15800480

申请日：2017-11-01

Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION

Inventor： Eric Peter Goodwin

IPC: H01L21/027 ,  G02B13/14 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01D5/38 ,  G01D5/34 ,  H01L21/68 ,  G01D5/26

Abstract: An encoder head configured for use with a lithographic exposure tool. The head is devoid of the multiplicity of optical corner-cubes and includes, instead, a single, geometrically substantially perfect cuboid of optically-isotropic material complemented, in operation, with prismatic elements made of optically anisotropic material to form a contraption that, as a unit, splits a single beam of light delivered to the contraption into four measurement (sub-)beams of light (two in xz-plane, two in yz-plane) and causes each of these sub-beams to interact with the wafer-stage diffraction grating at the same location upon the second pass by the grating as upon the first pass by the grating, thereby solving problems of (i) structural complexity of a conventional encoder head for use in an exposure tool, (ii) burdensome alignment of the multitude of optical prisms in the process of forming such encoder head, and (iii) cyclic non-linear errors associated with measurements involving conventional corner-cubes-based encoder heads while, at the same time, reducing the geometrical footprint of the encoder head.

公开(公告)号：US09816805B2

公开(公告)日：2017-11-14

申请号：US14302187

申请日：2014-06-11

Applicant: Nikon Corporation

Inventor： Daniel Gene Smith ,  Eric Peter Goodwin

IPC: G01B11/14 ,  G01B11/06 ,  G02B7/28 ,  G01B11/02 ,  G01N21/25 ,  G02B7/36 ,  G01J3/02

CPC classification number: G01B11/14 ,  G01B11/02 ,  G01B11/0608 ,  G01J3/0237 ,  G01J3/0297 ,  G01N21/25 ,  G02B7/28 ,  G02B7/36

Abstract: Method of predicting a distribution of light in an illumination pupil of an illumination system includes identifying component(s) of the illumination system the adjustment of which affects this distribution and simulating the distribution based on a point spread function defined in part by the identified components. The point spread function has functional relationship with configurable setting of the illumination settings.

公开(公告)号：US09237261B2

公开(公告)日：2016-01-12

申请号：US13746229

申请日：2013-01-21

Applicant: Nikon Corporation

Inventor： Eric Peter Goodwin

IPC: H04N5/225 ,  H04N5/357

CPC classification number: H04N5/225 ,  H04N5/357

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided, for improving contrast detected in a fringe projection autofocus system that projects light from a substrate to a digital camera. The method and apparatus reduce the fill factor of the digital camera in a direction that improves the contrast at spatial frequencies near or above the Nyquist limit in that direction.

公开(公告)号：US09030668B2

公开(公告)日：2015-05-12

申请号：US13794353

申请日：2013-03-11

Applicant: Nikon Corporation

Inventor： Eric Peter Goodwin ,  Daniel G. Smith

IPC: G01B9/02 ,  G01B11/14 ,  G01B11/06 ,  G03F9/00

CPC classification number: G01B11/14 ,  G01B11/0608 ,  G01B2210/56 ,  G03F9/7049 ,  G03F9/7088

Abstract: Fringe patterns at first and second spatial frequencies are projected onto a work piece surface and a reference surface, respectively. An image of the projected fringe patterns is obtained and a measurement signal associated with work piece displacements and a reference signal are obtained based on the first and second spatial frequencies. The image of the projected fringe patterns can exhibit substantial or complete overlap of the fringe patterns at the first and second spatial frequencies, and the overlapping patterns can be separated based on the spatial frequencies. Fringe pattern shifts at one or both of the first and second spatial frequencies can be used to adjust a pattern transfer system to permit accurate pattern transfer.

Abstract translation: 在第一和第二空间频率处的边缘图案分别投影到工件表面和参考表面上。 获得投影条纹图案的图像，并且基于第一和第二空间频率获得与工件位移相关联的测量信号和参考信号。 投影条纹图案的图像可以在第一和第二空间频率处显示条纹图案的实质或完全重叠，并且可以基于空间频率来分离重叠图案。 在第一和第二空间频率中的一个或两个处的边缘图案移位可用于调整图案转印系统以允许精确的图案转印。